The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-01

".oN woua ~ ~ onO NAS1 OOiOiO
did. l felt that coul
not live. Life to me will
out her sunny smile, he
musical, ripping laughter, her syn
PATTY for me in my little trouble
her true, sisterly love, would be
dark existence.
When she was sixteen years of az
she was invited to spend week wit
young friend, whose plantation wa
only few miles from my fathers.
week How was | to be separate
from her so long? l counted til
time, the days, the many dull hour
that must pass before l would Sc
her again. | could not go with hel
for my father said that he wished m
to remain at home, as he had a youn
friend-the son of one Of his old col
lege chums-coming to spend
month with US. Your sister ma
60, but l must have you to presid
over the household" said he, as h
caressingly smoothed my hair, as h
stood on the veranda.
1t was the morning she left us
Never shall l forget every circum
stance of that morning though
should travel the world over, though
l should live to be thousand year
old, but | would give anything to d.
so. l remember how the flower,
smelt, how the sun struggled to shine
through the thin, grayish clouds
how it would break through them
every now aud then, like a smile
through tears, remember how the
carriage horses threw up their heads
as they impatiently champed the
bits and paved the shell road which
led from our house through an ave
nue. OF magnolias, cedar and ever
greens down to the carriage
gate; how the cooling of a dove
in neighboring wood filled my soul
with an indescribable sadness.
l shall never forget how beautiful
she looked as she leaned out OF the
carriage and threw me a kiss, as it
rolled down the avenue, taking her
from me.
"Only a week." said my father.
"and you'll have Edith back again.
The trip will do her good you ought
not to be so selfJh as to want her to
stay with you all the time"
1T is not selfishness, father" said
/, but somehow l feel so queer;
maybe | am not well, but feel like
| will not see her again. l know it
is foolish and weak, but can't ban
ish from my mind vague apprehen-
sion; a dark foreboding fills my mind,
and | can't drive it away, but will
try and be cheerful for your sake"
You must" said he, "for it is
foolishness; and, besides, Hugh is
coming, and | wish you to look your
best and be cheerful. "
| tried, but am sure l failed. for
all the day, wherever l was, what
ever / was doing, singing or playing,
or talking lightly to my fathers
friends, still that dark, portentous
cloud covered my soul, and for my
life / could not tell why. reasoned,
l tried to shake it off, but 1 could
not shake it off any easier than |
could control the dark clouds that
were lowering over our housetop.
That night the wind blew hard,
the night was dark, the lightning
was the most vivid | ever saw, the
whole. earth seemed filled with cleo
tricity. The sky was completely
covered by thick black cloud which
every minute breathed lurid,
binding lightning that showed
the blackness of the
storm cloud and made the darkness
more intense and sufocating between
the brilliant flashes. | could not
sleep. | watched the moving, angry
clouds; | thought of a thousand
thincs all at once. At last | lay on
the bed somewhat composed, for the
wind had ceased to blow hard; it
had spent its fury and was now sob
bing and signing in the trees as if it
was sorry for what it had done. |
was not sleepy, nor was | any longer
nervous. All at once | heard shrek
(it was then l o'clock. 1t was a
loud, shrill cry of woman, aud it |
came from the little portico by my |
bedroom. jumped to my feet in |
great fright. My heart first got in
my throat and then it stood still. | Il
never heard such painful, pitiful
sound In my life. was rooted to
,he spot. could not fix my eyes on
my object. l heard it again.
This time it was not so loud: it was
more of a wall. l looked behind the
which opened on the por-
leo, and there stood my sister, as
white as death, with blood on her
evening dress. / stood for only a
minute, and then | gave one scream,
which woke my father, who rushed
nto my room. 1t was minute be-
ore | could do more than point to
he window. | soon recovered, and
old him what l had seen. | said:
Father, she is dead" He replied:
My child, you have. been nervous
ii day, and you have simply fallen
sleep and dreamed that horrible
lream, and it has appeared real to
'ou in your nervous, excited condi-
ion. He tried to calm and soothe
ne, but [ was wild with grief, for l
new that my sister was dead. While
lie was entreating me to go to bed
Ve heard the door bell ring. Ny
ather went to answer it, and then
he gentleman at whose house my
lister had gone told my father that
Thile they were returning from a
all that night at / o'clock the horses
ecame frightened, ran away and
brew my sister out of the carriage,
filing her almost instantly. l saw
er spirit just about the moment she
led. The fire had burned low, and
retired to dream OF haunted houses
nd headless men.
WILLIAM T. CARPENTER.
------~-<D-s-
Thacksray On Dickens.
Have you read Dickensp OF it is ,
brave Dickensl 1t has 1